When Edward Met Tom
by Makalaure
Summary: Edward Cullen is sucked into a vortex and stranded for a while in the Old Forest. There, he meets Tom Bombadil, and a conversation springs up between the two.


**A/n: You will see here my views on Stephenie Meyer's vampires. Edward Cullen meets Tom Bombadil from The Old Forest, and hears a valuable lesson. Whether he actually learns it or not, this tale does not tell.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings (sadly) or Twilight (thankfully).**

**Let us begin.**

XCXCXCXCXC

A shiny Volvo sped through the wet streets of Forks. Summer was near, and the air was warm and humid. The trees appeared to be a kaleidoscope of colours: sap green and autumn red and royal blue and stinging emerald. The birds were singing, and life sprang up everywhere. Not that Bella Swan put it that way to herself. To her, it was a dark, dreary, dismal place, with almost nothing to be happy about, except her boyfriend, Edward, and her friend, Jacob. If it weren't for them, she would have left this town a long time ago. Of course, there was no particular reason why she so thoroughly disliked Forks-she just generally wasn't a grateful or happy person. The only thoughts that ran through her head were about Edward or her shape-shifter friend*.

Edward Cullen glanced at his wife from the corner of his eye. He, of course, was driving; he couldn't let his infamously clumsy girlfriend take the wheel. That would surely spell disaster (not to mention a reversal of gender roles).

"What's wrong, love?" he asked, "Is something bothering you?"

Bella sighed. "No…it's just this weather…I can't stand it. I want the sun," she added wistfully. Edward chucked softly. "You shouldn't have come here then."

"I would never have met you if I hadn't come here. And you're my life. I'm happy when I'm with you."

"And you're not happy otherwise?"

"No," she sighed, "Life doesn't seem complete without you. I don't think I can live without you."

"As if I can," he said simply.

As they approached the Cullen house, the car wavered and bumped slightly. A small hissing noise came from the back.

"Flat tyre," said Edward. Bella had hardly walked a few steps forward by the time her boyfriend had finished fixing the car.

"If you turn me into a vampire, I could do that too," she said sulkily. She just wasn't satisfied with being human. Edward sighed. "Look, Bells, we've had this conversation a hundred times before. I will change you-later." He stretched, and looked towards the green hills. "But for now I have to take a walk."

"You'd rather go for a walk than be with me?" said Bella, sounding peeved.

"I need to hunt. I'll be back in a bit." He stooped down and kissed her. Bella relaxed. She loved it when he did that. The feel of his icy lips on hers was too much…

He slowly pulled away, making her pout. "That's not fair."

He chuckled, seeing her dismay. Generally, he enjoyed making her want more. "Good bye, love," he whispered, and ran off.

In no time he was racing among the trees, occasionally snapping one off or cracking a rock. He was just about to leap on an unsuspecting deer when several things happened at once. The earth seemed to groan beneath his feet, and the forest began to shake. Then, as if a pair of hidden jaws had been opened, Edward felt the ground underneath him open up into a deep purple abyss with no end. With a wailing cry he fell, and the cracks that had opened in the forest clamped shut as if they had never been there.

XCXCXCXCXC

Edward Mason Cullen slowly opened his eyes. He was lying on his back in dewy grass, and above him there stretched an afternoon sky. He heard various earthly noises: birds chirping and squirrels chattering and little brooks running nearby. He sprang up and looked around. There was no sign of any human life anywhere. He tried calling out, "Bella! Bella! Are you there?" No answer. "Carlisle? Alice? Jasper?" Still no reply. He tried once more, "Jacob! Is this one of your pranks?"

Edward felt cold fear creep upon him. Where was he? He stood listlessly for a while. Then he walked over to a nearby willow-tree and sat down, suddenly feeling very tired. He felt his head droop to his breast…

Suddenly, with speed that surprised even him, a crack that he had not been aware of till now opened behind him, and he fell back. Before Old Man Willow could snap its sides shut on him, he put one hand on either side and jumped from his sitting place. A sound of distant laughter seemed to sigh among the leaves of the tree. Edward cursed, and raised his hands. He would rip this thing to shreds…

"Hey hey! What you be a doing?" A high voice sang through the air. Edward felt a hand on his shoulder, which he hastily shrugged off.

"What be you a doing?" said the man again. Edward looked at him. He seemed harmless enough-he was a stout man with a long brown beard and bright blue eyes and a silly blue hat, in which was stuck a feather.

"You can't harm this tree here! If anyone's got that right, it's me."

"And who might you be?" asked Edward sharply.

"Tom Bombadil, at your service," said the man, sweeping off his hat and bowing low, "I am the master of the forest."

"Oh, are you?" said Edward sarcastically. Master of the forest? How ludicrous.

The old man put his hat on again. "If I may ask, young man, who may _you_ be?"

"For one thing I'm older than you. And my name is Edward Cullen."

"You are not older than me. You are barely over a hundred. Tom Bombadil is much older than that."

Edward eyed the stranger suspiciously. He was beginning to think that this man was a lunatic. Older than he was? He scoffed. But how did he know his age?

Tom seemed to read his thoughts. He laughed. "Tom is old, Tom is wise," he said, "He knows much more than you can think of."

"Oh really? I just have to…" Edward stopped dead. Tom's mind. He could not read his mind. He searched desperately for something, _anything_, but drew a total blank.

"Tom is the master of the forest, and he is the master of himself," he went on, "You of all people have no power over me."

Edward felt his anger rising. "Look, Bombwil, or whatever your name is, stop annoying me, or I'll really let you have it."

Tom stopped smiling. His eyes narrowed. "You need to be taught some respect, boy," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "You think too much of yourself."

Something inside Edward snapped, and he raised his hand to punch Tom. But even as he drew back his fist, quick as lightning, Tom caught it in his hand, and try as he might, Edward could not get loose. What was happening? He was a vampire! He was strong! How could a fat fool actually control his fist like that?

Tom looked at him. "Tom is older than you," he said slowly, "Tom is Eldest. Tom was here before the rivers and trees; Tom remembers the first acorn and the first raindrop. He made paths before the Big People, and saw the Little People arriving. He was here before the Kings and the graves and the Barrow-wights. When the Elves passed westward, Tom was here already, before the seas were bent." He closed his eyes.

"You are old, but you are not wise. You see strength in muscle, but not in mind. Your power only runs to your bones. You cannot see beyond the horizon. You cannot understand love, because you do not love yourself. Tom is a spirit, he is a Maia. You cannot unmake him." He released his grip.

"Go now! Turn back to your own home! Do not step in this fair land again till you have learned the meaning of life!"

Edward was at loss for words. But before he could open his mouth or move his feet, the ground cracked once more, and he fell into shadow, and he knew no more.

Tom stood in the glade, not speaking. Then he sighed, and looked at the clear blue sky, and the Forest was at peace once more. It was as if Edward Cullen had never existed.

* * *

**Notes:**

***I refuse to call him a werewolf. **

**Tom's speech about remembering all comes from 'The Lord of the Rings'. Whether he is a Maia or not is debatable, but for now let's pretend that he is. **


End file.
